Opinions : Marshall JCM2000 and JCM900

[lynchfan6]

I heard from many people that the DSL has a better overdrive sound than the TSL head I used to have. However, I never played one. Besides, it is all personal taste. There are many pro guitarists, like Bruce Kulick, who love and prefer the JCM900 heads, and make them sound great. For me, after years of trying Marshalls, they just weren't the sound for me.

[jgcable]

I heard from many people that the DSL has a better overdrive sound than the TSL head I used to have. However, I never played one. Besides, it is all personal taste. There are many pro guitarists, like Bruce Kulick, who love and prefer the JCM900 heads, and make them sound great. For me, after years of trying Marshalls, they just weren't the sound for me.

I like the sound of the 900. I especially like the clean tone on a 900. VERY 80's sounding.
I thought the DSL and the TSL sounded virtually identical.

[lynchfan6]

I'm sure they do....just that DSL owners and TSL owners on the old Marshall forum I used to visit always wanted to "one up" one another. I probably would have liked the 900 better with EL34 tubes also, as that is how most people tube the 900's. However, those amps just didn't do it for me like a soldano, so I'm happy where I'm at. But I certainly understand how some people find their sound with those Marshalls.

[DonP]

[Twisteramps]

I prefer 900s over JCM2000s - but if I was getting a Marshall I'd probably look for a 2210 or 2205.

[akoch]

"I thought the DSL and the TSL sounded virtually identical"

They do. At least in my experience.

[horns666]

I do. I love my 2210, but it doesn't get near the saturation and clarity levels I like without stompboxes. It might be different if I could dime it, but for bedroom volumes, it's MT-2 and GE-7 all the way.

Well it depends..I had mine over 10 years ago..at that time I always went for a classic VH / Criss Oliva kinda tone..the 2210 can achieve that tone in spades without any stomps..but if you require heavier sonic realms ..I could definitely see the use of a good stomp and EQ!

[dinky kustom]

I had a dual reverb 900 as well and didn't like it at all, I agree with the others it's definately not high gain.

very true that.
i run my gt6 and ada mp1 into the fx loop of my 900 and use it as a power amp.about all its good for imho.if you play blues/rock then it may have workable tones,but to me thats about all it has.i know ,i have herd others say it does metal just fine with the right boost out front but i cant get it to sound anywhere near close to what im after,then again i didnt pay for the head .xxx or 6505 for me.

[Monster Joe]

I had a TSL before I got the DSL.
They don't sound the same, but they are of course in the same ballpark.
I prefer the DSL.
My biggest issue with the TSL was the channel switching module that constantly crapped out on me.

[Strat God]

I like and play both JCM 900's and DSL's. 900's have the 'classic' Marshall sound, and the DSL's have more circuitboard components and offer more of a 'new metal' processed sound. Both are excellent choices IMHO.

[Racerx2k]

I have played several 900s, without really liking ANY of them. Just seemed really lackluster (Maybe it was the 5881 tubes. Never got a chance to try one with EL34s). I don't think the TSLs and DSLs sound alike at all. I tried a TSL, and couldn't get a sound out of it, that I was happy with, to save my life. I've liked each DSL, however, that I've tried. They had the clarity that the TSLs seemed to lack.
If given the chance, I would shoot for a DSL, among the three.

[donf]

DSL100............love it!!! Though I'm more of a blues guy than metal, so it fits pretty nicely.

[Strat God]

I've loaded mine with Groove Tube EL-34's and the secret weapon is a real Mullard preamp tube. For about 100 bucks you turn any 900 into a boutique amp that blows away amps at twice the price.

Listen to my 900 live- it don't lie when it's a live recording- I'm playing the EVH through a Vox Clyde wah, TS808 straight into the 900 coming out 2 cabinets.
settings:

Bass=7
Mid=7
Treb=2
Gain=7
Solo I hit the TS808 only:
www.thekeystoneband.com 'Sunshine Of Your Love' on the audio page.

I have played several 900s, without really liking ANY of them. Just seemed really lackluster (Maybe it was the 5881 tubes. Never got a chance to try one with EL34s). I don't think the TSLs and DSLs sound alike at all. I tried a TSL, and couldn't get a sound out of it, that I was happy with, to save my life. I've liked each DSL, however, that I've tried. They had the clarity that the TSLs seemed to lack.
If given the chance, I would shoot for a DSL, among the three.

[Twisteramps]

Best way to make a 900 or 2000 sound great is to swap it out for a JCM800 IMHO... 900s do get a bad rap though, they aren't that bad of an amp. I sure do prefer the 800s I owned over the 900 I had and friends JCM2000s. One guy I know bought THREE TSLs - he'd get them new shipped in and the first two had problems bad enough he had to ship them back. And he had a footswitch that fried. A friend from the JCF brought over his TSL for me to bias and the thing died when we tried to power it up the first time. (yes, this is before I touched it)

Pete

[Cleveland Metal]

Yep, a guy here went recently through 3 new DSLs before he got one that didn't combust... We had one a while here to play with and quickly Ebayed it after trying everything we had to make it sound good. The best being a Korg Hyperdistortion into the clean channel. Which we found sorta silly with an amp of that price.

I've owned some 900 series 4100 Dual reverbs and thought they were "ok". Took a lot to get them breathing any fire. Slamming the front with a hot wirless, EMGs and using a lot of parametric EQ, I got it pretty cool and enjoyed it. My 5150s slayed it on the low end tho. Had sweet leads. Lotsa cold solder joint issues with both I had.

I still push for the 800s really. Best reliability and nicest tone IMO from a Marshall short of modded older units.